Variable coupler



FeB'. s, 1927.

1,616,643 H. VADERSEN VARIABLE COUPLER Filed Feb. 28. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 7' i H. VADERSEN VARIABLE COUPLER Filed Feb. 28. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 //7 1 6/77??? fie rberf l dda/"Je/r,

k Affj sum- D STATES Patented .Feb. 8, 1927.

PATENT OFFICE.

'' HERBERT vAnERsEN, F ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR To wEsTERn ELEC- Taro COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF N W YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW VARIABLE COUPLER.

Application filed February 28, 1923. Serial No. 621,839.

g This invention relates to a variocoupler I andmore particularly to a coupler consisting of stationary andmovalole coils separately mounted. on a supporting base or I panel; I V

Ithas heretofore been the practice to em- I ploy variocouplers. of this type having a -stationarycoil provided with a plurality of taps which is Wound on a core secured to 7 the panel by supporting brackets and to I use separate conductors external to the core for connecting the terminals of the winding as well as the taps to the associated circuit and apparatus terminals. In these arrangements the movable coil has been attached to its supports by screws, rivets or other s more or less permanent securing means. If it becomes necessary to replace a burned out or defective coil, or substitute other coils adapted for use under different 7 operating conditions,-some considerable ef- =fortjand inconvenience is experienced because of the nature ofthe mechanical and electrical connections used and the limited space between the panel and the coils. In

. fact, this can only be satisfactorily done by an expert mechanic.

i As is well known, when a variable inductance or variocoupler of the type described ".30 above is. used in high frequency signaling systems, the coils constituting the inductance "or coupler are designed'to have definite electrical characteristics and therefore can only bes'atisfactorily usedin circuits through 5' which currents of specified frequencies, or

within a narrow frequency band, are flowing." For other frequency bands it is necessary to employ coils having different elec trical characteristics and as a result the change from one'set of coils to another has required dismantling the whole coupling coil structure.

The present invention provides a variocou ler in which the stationary coil is carried by supportingbrackets which also serve as electrical conductors and the movable coil is attached to its supports by readv .ily' detachable aeeuring means, whereby either or both coils may be conveniently replaced even by an unskilled operator.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a simple arrangement for mounting the coils of a variocoupler. Another object isto make it possible for coupling coils to be readily and conveniently secured to their supports and detached therefrom. Still another object is to enable an unskilled person to repair or change a coupler to meet new operating conditions witha minimum of effort and inconvenience.

Other features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of a variocoupler designed in accordance with this invention, read in conjunction with the attached drawing, in which Fig. 1 shows a portion of the control panel having the variocoupler mounted thereon. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the stationary element. Fig. 3 is an end view of the stationary element. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the movable element; and Fig. 5 is an end view of the movableelemcnt mounted on its support.

As is shown in Fig. 1, the variocoupler or variable coupling arrangement consists of the stationary element 1 and the rotatable element 2 mounted on a panel 3. The stationary element, secured to the panel by a plurality of supporting brackets 4, is provided with a winding having a plurality of taps each of which and the terminals of the winding are electrically connected to one of the supports 4.

An antenna terminal 5 is connected to one of the supports 4: and the other supports are each connected to a contact 6. A movable arm 7, provided with a handle 8 and'connected to ground, is associated with the contacts 6 to constitute a switch for controlling the number of turns of the winding included in the antenna circuit, whereby the tuning of this circuit may be regulated;

The movable element 2 is carried by a yoke 10 secured to a shaft 11 projecting through the panel 3 and the outer end of the shaft carries a button or handle 12,

vnals 36 of the receiving apparatus.

whereby this element may be rotated to regulate the coupling between its winding and the winding carried by the stationary element 1. Flexible conductors 13 serve to connect the movable winding to the termi- Pins 14, projecting inwardly from the panel 3, are adapted to cooperate with the yoke to limit its rotary movement and hence serve to determine the angle through which the movable element may be rotated.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the stationary element 1 consists of an insulating tube or core 15 upon which the coil 16 is wound. Leads 17, connected to the terminals of tapped points of the winding 16. are thread ed through holes 18 provided in the core 15 and are connected to terminal lugs 19 secured on the interiorsurface of the core 15. In Fig. 3 the lugs 19 are shown attached to the core 15 so that they are directly opposite the offset portion 20 of the brackets 4 to which they are mechanically and electrically connected by the screws 21. The brackets 4 are provided with lugs 22, to one of which the antenna terminal 5 is connected by a conductor 23, while the others are connected to the switclrcontacts 6 by the conductors 24:. The movable switch contact 7 is connected to ground by the conductor 25.

As described above it will be seen that the stationary element is a selt-contained unit which may be'secured in place by the screws 21- and electrically connected in the antenna circuit which includes the tuning control switch. Changing this unit is therefore, a

very simple operation as it is merely necessary to remove the screws 21 when the unit as a whole may be taken out and a new one put in its place after which the screws are replaced and the apparatus is again-ready for use.

Referring to Figs; 4t and 5 there is shown the movable element 2 consisting of a core 26 provided with peripheral notches 2?, which are opposite one another in a transverse plane, and a windingQS, the ends of which are threaded through openings in the core and connected to terminals 29 on the interior thereof. Conductors 13 are provided to connect the terminals 29 and hence the winding 28 to the terminals of there ceiving apparatus- Preferably the com duetors 13 are soldered to the terminals 29, but any well known'means for securing the conductors to the terminals in good electrical contact, for example lock nuts, could be used. The support 10 for the movable element consists of a substantial U shaped yoke of resilient 'material provided with slots 30 near the free ends of the arms which are adapted to cooperate with the notches 27 in the core to hold this unit in place. To mount the movable element 2, the resilient arms of the yoke 10 are deflected laterally,

the coil is inserted, and the arms are released. hen the notches 27 of the core are in line with the slotted portions of the yoke arms the latter will snap into the notches with the projecting portions on the two sides of their slots 30 engaging the core 26, whereby the latter will be securely held in place. To change the coil 2 it is merely necessary to deflect the arms, remove the coil, substitute a new coil with its notches 27 in line with the slots 30, and release the arms.

From the preceding description it will be appreciated that the present invention, as distinguished from those previously proposed, provides a variable coupler which, while simple and rugged in design, permits the conductors for the stationary coil to be applied so that they may be securely fastened in place and hence are less liable to become detached, and simplifies and renders more convenient the operation of changing both coils. Hence a detective coil may be readily replaced even by an unskilled operator or the operating characteristics of the apparatus in which it is included may be conveniently changed by substituting a set of coils of different characteristics.

Obviously, this invention is not limited to the specific details described, since these merely serve to illustrate a practical arrangement embodying the invention, Whereby its nature may be completely and clearly disclosed.

The scope of the invention and the features and combinations hereinbe'fore described, which are believed to be novel, will be set torth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A coupler unit con'iprising an insulating core, a coil wound thereon having a multiplicity of taps, electrically conductive b'ackets for supporting said core, and

means for detachably connecting each of said taps to one of said brackets.

2. A coupler unit comprising an insulating core, a coil wound thereon, provided with a multiplicity of taps, supporting' brackets for said core, contacts connected to the taps of said coil, and detachable means for securing and'electrically connecting said contacts to said supports.

3. A coupler unit comprising'an insulating core, a multitap coil wound thereon, the taps of said coil being threaded. through holes in the core and being connected to contacts secured to the interior of the core, supports for said core, and means for detachably securing and electrically connecting each of said contacts to one of said supports.

4. A coupler unit comprising a cylindrical insulating core, a multitap coil wound thereon, contacts secured to the interior of said core, each contact being connected to a tap of said coil, electrically conductive supports for said core, and detachable means projecting'through said core for securing each of said contacts to one of said supports. 5. In combination, a panel, a coupling unit comprising an insulating core, a coil Wound thereon having a multiplicity of taps, electrically conductive brackets for mounting said unit upon said panel, means for detachably connecting each of said taps to one of said supports, and a switch secured to 10 said panel having a contact connected to each of said brackets.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 27th day of February, A. D.

HERBERT VADERSEN. 

